Scones....oooops, was I supposed to get them gifts?

As I walked Nathan into school today I noticed all the moms had gifts for the teachers.

I no longer feel pressured to buy gifts for the whole class. We make homemade valentines. It makes me crazy when mom's spend a lot of money on crap just to show off... what? how much money and time they have? I would prefer my children to do the work, to show their friends they love them. Isn't that the point? I buy doilies and glitter and paper and markers and pom poms and glue and they go to town. It's fun, and messy.

But I do love Nathan's teachers. And they appreciate my baking. So I ran home to bake up some scones.

4 cups all-purpose flour
2/3 cup sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
2 sticks unsalted butter, cold
1 cup sour cream
2 large eggs


Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
In a big bowl, mix flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt.

Grate butter large holes of a box grater; use your fingers to work butter into dry ingredients till it looks like lumpy sand.

Whisk sour cream and egg until smooth.

Using a fork, stir sour cream mixture into flour mixture until large dough clumps form. Use your hands to finish mixing until it comes together. At this point you can add any mix ins you like. I split it in half and did half craisens and white chocolate and half mini chocolate chips. I love cinnamon chips, but I don't have any. Butterscotch chips and raisins is yummy. Any kind of citrus zest. You could even make these savory with herbs and cheese. Yum!

Place on a lightly floured surface and cut as desired. I used a heart shaped cookie cutter, but you can just make triangles or squares.

Bake until golden, about 12 minutes. Cool for 5 minutes and serve warm or at room temperature.

Now I have to pack them in some pretty bags and bring them to the teachers.

I am taking the week off from blogging, but I will be back... with a tan. ;)

Sugar Cookies for Valentine's Day

This was adapted from Alton Brown's Recipe. The most important distinction is the added vanilla.

4 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
1 1/2 cup sugar
1 egg plus one yolk, beaten
1 1/2 tablespoon milk
1 t vanilla extract
Powdered sugar, for rolling out dough


Mix flour, baking powder, and salt and whisk to combine.

Place butter and sugar in large bowl of electric stand mixer and beat until light in color.

Add egg, yolk, vanilla and milk and beat to combine.

Slowly add flour mixture, and beat until mixture pulls away from the side of the bowl.

Divide the dough in half, wrap in waxed paper, and refrigerate for 2 hours.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

Sprinkle surface where you will roll out dough with powdered sugar.

Remove 1/2 of dough from refrigerator at a time, sprinkle rolling pin with powdered sugar, and roll out dough to 1/4-inch thick.

Cut into desired shape. I am thinking hearts? ;) At this point I am going to press in some heart shaped candies I bought. I don't know if they will melt. I really do not want to ice them, but I may have to.

Place at least 1-inch apart on greased baking sheet, parchment, or silpat, and bake for 7 to 9 minutes or until cookies are just beginning to turn brown around the edges.

Cool on sheet for two minutes, then move to a cooling rack to cool completely.

Makes about 4 dozen cookies, but of course that depends on how large you make them.